Joe Lieberman: “The reconciliation bill contains provisions that impact most of the programs and services provided by the Federal…”

“The reconciliation bill contains provisions that impact most of the programs and services provided by the Federal Government. Few people in the United States are not touched in some way by the changes we have voted for during this debate. I would like to touch upon just a few of the provisions. The bill includes significant progress toward protecting the Medicare Program. Without the changes included in this legislation, the Medicare trust fund would go bankrupt in 2001. The changes include the first major structural changes to Medicare in its 30-year history. The Senate bill modernizes Medicare by offering seniors the option of choosing from among a range of quality private health plans in addition to existing fee-for-service Medicare. It includes important new health insurance coverage for the Nation's children. It returns a degree of protection for people who live and work in our country, but because of foreign birth are not citizens of the United States. The bill makes substantial advances in ensuring that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries can get comparative information to help them choose the best available health care plan for their needs.”